UTRGV College of Sciences

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. David Hicks from SEEMS on being named a recipient of the 2025–26 UTRGV Faculty Impact Awards and receiving the Distinguished Career Award!

This recognition reflects Dr. Hicks’ years of dedication, leadership, and outstanding contributions to research, education, and the university community.

We are proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor and the lasting impact he continues to make at UTRGV. 👏

🎉 SMSS proudly congratulates Dr. Jerzy Mogilski on his retirement at the end of this academic year.

Over the course of his distinguished career at UTRGV and its legacy institutions, Dr. Mogilski made lasting contributions to mathematics research, education, and student success. His work in topology and infinite-dimensional topology, combined with his passion for active learning and mentorship, has had a meaningful impact on generations of students and colleagues.

Dr. Mogilski’s dedication to scholarship, teaching, and collaboration helped shape the vibrant academic community within SMSS, and his influence will continue to be felt for years to come.

Thank you, Dr. Mogilski, for your many years of service and commitment to excellence. We wish you all the best in this exciting new chapter! 👏

🎉 The 3rd Annual Florence Nightingale Day at UTRGV was a wonderful success!

We were excited to welcome 132 participants, including 107 students and instructors from Palmview High School, making this year’s event full of energy, curiosity, and engagement.

Our undergraduate and graduate students showcased impressive research through their poster presentations, while our featured speakers delivered insightful and inspiring sessions throughout the day.

A huge thank you to the UTRGV Institute for Advanced Manufacturing (IAM) and the ASA Student Chapter for leading interactive activities, supporting the event, and bringing an extra level of excitement with hands-on, data-driven racing activities.

We are also grateful to the faculty, staff, volunteers, organizing committee, and our partners at Palmview High School for helping make this event such a memorable experience.

📸 Sharing a few highlights from the day — thank you to everyone who participated and supported Florence Nightingale Day at UTRGV!

🎉 Huge congratulations to Raul Marquez, M.S. Mathematics student and President of the UTRGV Mathematical Society, on being awarded the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRFP)!

Recognized as one of the most prestigious fellowships for graduate students in STEM, the NSF GRFP supports outstanding scholars with exceptional promise in research, innovation, and academic leadership.

We’re proud to celebrate Raul’s hard work, dedication, and accomplishments. Congratulations on this incredible achievement! 👏

🦅✨ Big news for UTRGV research! Congratulations to Dr. Andrea Contina for receiving the prestigious NSF CAREER Award to study bird migration through the power of AI, bioacoustics, and ecological data.

This innovative project will explore how birds respond to environmental change while also creating hands-on research opportunities for UTRGV students in avian ecology, coding, and artificial intelligence. 🌎💻🔊

From nocturnal migration patterns to big data analysis, this work highlights the future of wildlife conservation and environmental science right here at UTRGV.

Cultivating new ideas and stronger partnerships 🌱✨

Faculty joined the SARA Faculty Engagement Lunch to learn how the Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Rural Advancement supports research, proposal development, community partnerships, and meaningful work with farmers and rural communities across South Texas.

The conversation highlighted collaboration, innovation, and the impact research can have beyond the classroom — creating opportunities for students, faculty, and the communities we serve.

We look forward to growing new partnerships and advancing impactful ideas together! 🧡

We are proud to celebrate Dr. Tian Y. D**g, Assistant Professor of Geomorphology and Quaternary Geology in the School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences (SEEMS), on the publication of “Apparent Hack’s Law in River Deltas” in Science and featured on the cover!

River deltas play a vital role in supporting communities, ecosystems, agriculture, and infrastructure, yet many are increasingly threatened by sea-level rise and human impacts.

This research shows that river deltas follow similar scaling patterns to river networks, revealing a shared geometric structure.

At the same time, it highlights how deltas can grow differently at local scales, shifting from broad, space-filling patterns to more linear forms toward the coast.

A remarkable achievement highlighting the impact of research at UTRGV’s College of Sciences

Got research to share?

The UTRGV STEM Research Conference 2026 is your chance to present your work, connect with fellow researchers, and showcase innovation across STEM.

Abstract submission deadline is approaching fast, don’t miss it.